A review by wmmcnamara
In the Land of Happy Tears: Yiddish Tales for Modern Times by David Stromberg

This is a delightful collection of never-before translated Yiddish tales from the early and mid twentieth century, offering the reader a powerful glimpse into the culture and values of Eastern European Jewish communities prior to the Second World War. I especially enjoyed the last few tales, particularly Jacob Reisfeder’s deeply moving “A Treasure in the Snow,” in which the prophet Elijah appears to a poor family as an old, starving man who blesses them with the eponymous treasure after they selflessly feed him some dumplings, the only food that they have.